Support



FebVZI, 1933.

HtBALCH SUPPORT Filed Aug. 1'7, 1931 INVENTOR m ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES HARRY BALCH, F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND SUPPORT Application filed August 17, 1931. Serial No. 557,635.

This invention relates to supports, and its general object is to provide a bracket for supporting a hinged shelf in operative position, the bracket being spring pressed and urged to supporting position, but is movable to a position against the tension of the spring to allow the shelf to drop to an inoperative position, and when the shelf is in the last mentioned position, it retains the bracket in an inoperative position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable supporting bracket for a hinged shelf, so that the shelf can be retained in a true horizontal plane.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bracket for a hinged shelf that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and efficient in operation and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the bracket and shelf which forms the subject matter of the present invention, and shows the parts in operative position in full lines and folded position in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view thereof. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the secured part of the bracket.

Figure 5 is a similar view of a fragmentary portion .of the hinged part thereof.

Figure 6 is a side elevation illustrating another method for adjustably supporting the shelf on the swingable arm.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral 1 indicates a shelf which may be of any desired shape, and has secured to one side of the lower edge thereof hinges 2 of any well known construction and which are adapted to hingedly secure the shelf to a suitable supporting means.

The shelf is supported in a horizontal position through the instrumentality of a bracket which includes a stationary part made up of a plate 3 that includes a relatively small por tion 4 provided with openings 5 for the purpose of receiving securing means such as screws and the like, whereby the plate can be fixed to the supporting means which has secured thereto the shelf 1. However, the plate can be fixed to other securing means providing, of course, it is arranged adjacent to the shelf in the manner as shown in F igures 1 and 2. From the relatively small portion 4, the plate 3 is enlarged and the enlarged portion is cut away to provide a recess from which extend apertured ears 6 that cooperate with apertured ears 7 formed with the enlarged portion of an angle arm 8. This portion of the arm is bent at right angles upon itself to provide lugs 9 that are engageable with fingers 10 of the plate 3, when the bracket is disposed in operative position.

Passing through the ears 6 and 7 is a hinge pin 11 which has surrounding the same a coil spring 12 arranged to urge the arm 8 to operative position, as best shown in Figure 2.

The enlarged portion of the angle arm merges into the remaining portion thereof which is vertical and this vertical portion is provided with openings for the purpose of registering with a slot 13 disposed longitudinally in a strip 14- and the openings and slot receive the bolts of bolt and nut connections 15 for securing the strip 14 in adjusted position with respect to the vertical portion of the angle arm. The nuts of the bolt and nut connections may be of the wing type as shown, and the upper end of the strip 14 is bent at right angles upon itself to provide a flat engaging surface for the shelf 1.

From the above description and disclosure of the drawing, it will be obvious that. I have provided a bracket that will support the shelf 1 in a true horizontal plane, due to the fact that the strip 14: is adjustable, and when it is desired to support the shelf accordingly, the shelf is raised, and as the angle arm is spring pressed, the spring thereof will urge the same, together with the strip, to supporting position. When the shelf is out of use,

the bracket is disposed against the tension of a spring to the dotted line position shown in Figure 1, and is held accordingly by the shelf which, of course, will drop to position 5 as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.

In Figure 6 the swingable arm 8 and the hingedly supported shelf 1 are of a construction similar to that previously described In this instance, however, the upper end of the 10 arm 8 is formed with a socket 16 for the reception of a headed bolt 17. The bolt has screwed thereon a nut 18 which is designed to contact with the outer end of the socket 1 a a 16, while the head of the bolt supports there- 15 on the shelf 1, when the device is in operative position.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

39 It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim. i

9' \Vhat I claim is In a device of the character set forth, a bin ed shelf, a bracket for said shelf and inclu ing an angle arm, an enlarged portion formed with the lower end of the arm, aper- 39 tured ears extending from the enlarged portion, lugs extending from the enlargedportion in a direction opposite to that of the ears, a plate provided with openings to receive securing means, apertured ears formed with 5 the plate and cooperating with the ears first mentioned, a pin pivotally securing the cooperating ears together, a coil spring carried by the pin for urging the bracket in operative position, fingers formed with the plate and arranged in the path of the lugs to provide stop means for the bracket, and means adjustably secured to the upper end of the arm and engageable with the shelf to support the latter in a true horizontal plane in its operative position,

' In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HARRY BALCH. 

